The Abdomen 243 



and then the urethra, using for the latter purpose a conical blow-pipe 

 such as is provided in dissecting sets, or enlarge by incision as in 

 urethrolithotomy. Then introduce a lithotrite .and extract or, if 

 necessary, reduce the stone or stones to fragments and evacuate 

 precisely as in the male. 



BESECTION. 



Extirpation of the bladder, whether partial or complete, is 

 borne well by the dog. Many experiments of this nature have term- 

 inated successfully. Tizzoni and Poggi who removed the greater 

 part of the original organ and connected the ureters with the neck, 

 found that the latter had undergone transformation into an entirely 

 new bladder-like viscus at the end of three years. Gluck and Zeller 

 extirpated the entire organ together with the prostate gland and 

 implanted the ureters in the skin in four dogs without losing an 

 animal. Fisher removed elliptical portions of the organ from eight 

 different dogs. Of these five recovered and one of the deaths was 

 apparently due to purulent accumulation in the abdominal wound. 

 In four of the cases no antiseptic precautions were observed. In 

 another series of experiments, carried out by Vincent, recovery was 

 complete in from three to four weeks, healing taking place by pri- 

 mary intention. Other successful experiments were made by Bren- 

 ner, Thomson, and Znamensky. The latter authority found that 

 one-third and even two-thirds of the wall could be resected and the 

 animal make a good recovery. When, however, more than two- 

 thirds were removed there was not sufficient of the detrusor muscle 

 remaining to accomplish ejection of the urine. The organ had lost 

 its power of contractility, the urine stagnated, dammed back, and a 

 hydronephrosis resulted. Such a termination could be avoided in 

 the human being by employment of a permanent catheter, an expe- 

 dient which would hardly be practicable in the dog. It would be 

 better to divert the flow of urine into some other channel, the rectum, 

 for instance. 



In partial resection due care must be observed that the ureters 

 be not destroyed. If it be found necessary to remove the part of the 

 bladder at their point of entry, they must be implanted elsewhere. 

 Vincent found scissors best for cutting all the coats at once. He 

 also found that the mucosa tended to protrude through the edges of 

 the muscular wound, owing to contraction of the latter. If this oc- 



